"Our animals shepherd us through certain eras of ourlives. When we are ready
to turn the corner and make it on our own...they let us go."
Anonymous
Love Wins
There is always help so don't be afraid-messages from Morgy

If you animal has been diagnosed with cancer, my four legged companions hope
this site helps. The greatest mystery on earth is death..
After your shock, panic, possibly rage and terror wear off, and the agony sets
in, know that some do beat the disease, others live a lot longer than expected
and right now your treasure is on earth. Please view your companion and try to
push the cancer into the background after the initial shock. Our animals become
our guides in this very painful and mysterious journey.

Whatever decisions you make, will be the correct ones!

Morgan died on Dec 14, 2001, three months short of his 14 birthday. He
defeated cancer but his little heart finally became too tired. For over two
years and a half years, Morgan battled bone cancer. He battled it through
supporting his immune system..no chemo or radiation..he was not a
candidate..supplements, diet, and plenty of rest. One of his many nicknames was
the flaxseed kid..There is no proof but he was overdosed with
flaxseed oil and cottage cheese
for the first 1/2 year of his diagnosis. His vet was amazed at how well
Morgan did with his heart condition, advanced age and all. The vet saw him a
week before he died and was still amazed and then shocked at his sudden death.
Miracles do happen!Click here to find a geographic list of oncologists in your area
The anti inflammatories, anti bacterials and anti virals Morgy had been
receiving may have done the trick to be a cancer survivor.

I am currently going giving his littermate Hammy Same(S-Adenosyl Methionine). It has both anti
depressant effect and "USED TO IMPROVE HEPATIC GLUTATHIONE LEVELS AND
MAINTAIN AND PROTECT LIVER FUNCTION". One of the cheapest places I have found it on the net is http://www.iherb.com There is a cat and dog version put out by http://www.cosequin.com/veterinary/denosyl.htm -here is link to their research article -one of the cheapest places I have found it is at my affiliate

You might want to read up on
graviola
, a possible tumor killer.
You might also want to read up on melatonin. I am working on a page filled with research abstracts hereFor instance, there are suggestions that "that melatonin protect against
doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity without interfering with its antitumor effect Another source is grape seed extract or from grape skin...Resveratrol or Proanthocyanidins-supplements that have anti cancer properties...click here to skim research abstracts. Then there is bromelain. Please click here. (I decided to review abstracts for supplements to actually see if there were documented research rather than just folk remedies and testimonials. You can also print out some of those pages to show your vet in case they aren't holistic or in case they are curious.)

Dr. Charles Loops, a homeopath DVM now has a website. Here is his list of supplements. although I don't agree with him on downplaying of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese.

Herbal Medicine, Healing & Cancer
A book that gives a huge amount of information based on years of experience with humans.Pets Living With Cancer: A Pet Owner's Resource
Veterinarians Guide to Natural Remedies for Dogs : Safe and Effective Alternative Treatments and Healing Techniques from the Nations Top Holistic Veterinarians Why Is Cancer Killing Our Pets?: How You Can Protect and Treat Your Animal Companion
Annie Loses Her Leg but Finds Her Way
A children's book that also soothes adultsAnother children's book that is so soothing..she has also written one for the passing of dogs..."Cat Heaven sounds like paradise. A rhyming text describes a realm in which felines are fed from God's countertop, a place where they no longer get stuck in trees because now they can fly. There are thousands of toys, and soft angel laps in which to cuddle. There is even a quiet time to look back on former homes and loving people."
Some of these abstracts you might want to bring to the attention of your vet.
I continually update this page. Hopefully I will soon have up links for
hypercalcemia and maligancy of hypercalcemia. Two people have now written that
the dogs appear to be doing better on Fosamax. One reported that she also bought
Inflam-away by Premier Labs the appetite seems to have gotten better
Osteoprotegerin
Here is another suggestioning that Osteoprotegerin may be used to manage bone
cancer pain.
"Another one suggesting why Osteoprotegerin blocks bone cancer-induced skeletal
destruction, skeletal pain "
It is so important to have yearly visits and to constantly feel for lumps or
bumps..the quicker you take action, the odds are more in your favor! Since
Morgan was diagnosed with cancer, I have been hearing more and more success
stories about EARLY DETECTION!
Stereotactic radiosurgery in Florida
.The procedure costs approximately $2,200, roughly the same as for traditional
veterinary radiation therapy. Certain animals may be eligible for
a $700 UF subsidy, in addition to free follow-up care and imaging. Contact
Small Animal Hospital front desk at (392) 4700,
Ext. 4700.
"Radiosurgery has been used to treat certain brain tumors and arteriovenous
malformations in people for many years," Lester said. "We
have been able to transfer this technology to animals and are using it to
benefit our cancer patients."
There are some free/partially free trials going on now for innovative treatment
of certain cancers at Wisconsin
800)DVM-VMTH-please check their webpage
-ie melanoma, newly diagnosed lymphosarcoma,vaccinate related sarcomas in kitty
cats,DOGS WITH SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMAS ACCESSIBLE FOR BIOPSY,DOGS WITH ANY TUMOR
ACCESSIBLE FOR BIOPSY.
how to recover from bipolar disorder

The Healer's Way: soothing music for those in pain, Vol. I
~ Stella Benson - solo harp -A friend highly recommends harp music for your companion. She played solo harp music for her companion round the clock and saw that it soothed Zani. The San Diego Zoo and other zoos also use harp music to sooth and help heal their animals. It is also soothing for us. Amazon has a small but good collection of CDs.

Diet is so important-please read the following abstract

Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 1998 Nov;13(4):224-31
Interventional nutrition for the cancer patient.
Ogilvie GK.
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences,
Department of Clinical Sciences,
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University,
Ft. Collins 80523, USA.
Dogs and cats with cancer have significant alterations
in carbohydrate, protein, and fat
metabolism, which can result in cancer cachexia and
subsequently can decrease quality of life,
reduce response to therapy, and shorten survival time.
Nutritional modulation may be beneficial in
the treatment of cancer patients to reverse these
metabolic alterations.
There is evidence that
foods relatively low in simple carbohydrates with
moderate amounts of high-quality protein, fiber,
and fat (especially fats of the omega-3 fatty acid
series) are beneficial for pets with cancer.
In
addition, certain supplemental nutrients may have
potential to reduce the risk of developing
cancer, or the growth and metastases of established
malignant disease. Nutritional intervention
can be a powerful tool for controlling malignant disease
and for reducing toxicity associated with
chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
side effects with chemotherapy-excellent and technical"The mechanism of the
vomiting/diarrhea is that the chemotherapy kills the gut crypt
enterocytes, so several days later, the villus tips in the small
intestine are denuded (similar to viral enteritis). Carafate and pepcid
will not help as the problem is rarely gastric. Peptobismol is often
very helpful, as is metoclopramide.""Knowing breed related problems. Shetland Sheepdogs and
giant breed dogs (Deerhounds, Wolfhounds) are more likely to
have chemotherapy problems than other breeds of the same size.
We routinely adjust doses and use prophylactic medications in
dogs like these."
Next suggestion is to buy Donald Yance's book-
Herbal Medicine, Healing, and Cancer : A...
..Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer is for humans but the information within
it is so awesome and it contains preventative tips also. Donald Yance has
reviewed the literature and has treated human cancer victims for over twenty
years..amazon sells it for less than $16 dollars! I wish I had known aboutthat
book two years ago when I started the search to keep Morgan alive. Yance
explains why possibly flaxseed and cottage cheese may work-He explains what
butryic acid is..He mentions Spes as a great pain killer for cancer..and on and
on.. Another great book "A Bag of Pearls"-it contains a great deal of
information on Chinese Patent Medicine and explains the formulas that are
mentioned in Dr.Goldstein's book-seven forests products-His book is the Nature
of Animal Healing. You can order those products for $12 dollars directly
and the book for $20 dollars..The number is 1-800-544-7504. There are even
Chinese Herbs to Treat Lung cancer-especially worrisome to a lot of us who fear
our beloved companion's cancer will metasize..usually lungs are the endgame-ugh

Subject: LSU Oncologists Seek Cancer Patients for Clinical Research
Trials
LSU Oncologists Seek Cancer Patients for Clinical Research Trials
Oncologists in the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Cancer Treatment
Unit are investigating novel treatments for several different types of
cancer and are actively seeking cancer
patients to participate in ongoing clinical research trials for these
new studies.

LSU oncologists Drs. Neal and Glenna Mauldin are involved in many
laboratory and clinical research projects, including analyzing and
understanding the effect of altering blood supply to
tumors by inhibiting angiogenesis, as well as novel studies on breast
cancer in cats and dogs.
The Mauldins are seeking cats with mammary gland tumors and oral
squamous cell carcinoma. They are also in need of dogs with previously
treated, relapsed lymphoma; non-resectable
and/or metastatic oral melanoma; and non-resectable mast cell tumors.
Most of the clinical research trials are partially or completely funded.
Veterinarians with patients that might fit the mentioned criteria and
would like to discuss possible qualifications for the study may contact
Gaye Gomila, clinical research associate, at
(225) 578-9526, or Maura Egan, oncology research associate, at (225)
578-9548.
<
In May of 1999, my Morgy(D.O.B 1988),a mini schnauzer started limping. He had
been play fighting with his littermate-the Ham(Hammydog).
My vet and I assumed his limping was result of an injury that should heal and
that was that. Sure enough he was back to jumping and getting on the dining
room table for the cats' food... until the next episode with occasional
intermittent limping- this time he was chasing a puppy around-after the next
episode when he stopped using his back right leg entirely-Morgy was given
x-rays. The xrays showed the bone had been eaten away and the tentative
diagnosis was osteosarcoma-Since Morgy has a heart condition-my vet vetoed bone
biopsy-he also didn't sedate Morgy for the x-ray-he joked we could perfect
x-rays but because of Morgy's heart-a dead dog-A second set of x-rays were
given a month and a half later. The diagnosis was changed to bone cancer but
not osteosarcoma(which usually appears in large breeds(if you have a large breed puppy please read this monograph- it contains great nutritional information -it also warns about feeding your puppy too much calcium and cites research that says it is not the ratio of calcium to phosphorous but the absolute level of calcium)- and usually in front
leg(where most of weigh bearing is substained--Morgy constantly bore weight on that back right leg when fighting with
Ham-Fungal infection was ruled out valley-fever-Coccidioidomycosis
(Morgy hadn't been to southwest which has avirulent fungus which could do that
type of bone rotting-tick disease imitator ruled out-
-again except for lameness-no other symptoms were present-osteomyelitis was
also ruled out-again none of the symptoms- no prior trauma-ie bone break etc to
a limb. The x-rays were sent for a free reading to a California vet hospital
and the canine radiologist also felt it was bone cancer. Almost two months after Morgy died, I found an article describing schnauzers with osteosarcoma in their back legs with bone infarctions rather than tumors..with research suggesting looking into fat metabolism.
At that point the rollcoaster ride began and still is continuing...thank
goodness. The vet had told me that he didn't expect Morgy to live past last
February My vet perscribed Rimadyl as the painkiller. In his practice,he
found that Feldene-although it has some possibly anti tumor properties,caused
too many GI upsets. Morgy's breed wasn't as much at risk for the dangers of
rimadyl. That is questionable. Labs are one of the most population breeds-as of
1999 Rimadyl was perscribed to four million dogs-no statistical analysis has
been done since vets are
not required to keep records of what breed of dog they prescribe the
medication. So
Labs might rank high for reported incidents-but we don't know of ratio of how
many
Labs haven't had side effects. My vet ruled out amputation because of Morgy's
heart condition. Otherwise,Morgy's leg would
have been amputated and spared him the extra weight of carrying it
around,spared him the
pain of the bone cancer,and spared him being so protective of that leg and
having to compensate for keeping his leg out of harm's way. I would have been
spared the terror of
a possible fracture,worrying when other dogs wanted to play with him,worrying
about people
possibly bumping into the leg with strollers etc-worrying about how to keep the
leg clean-
One cold winter night,a golden safety net was thrown to me. I met a Canadian
holistic
vet on the street who spoke to me for 20 minutes and answered as best he could
all my
questions.
He said that I had a chance of treating Morgy holistically to help his little
IMMUNE SYSTEM battle the cancer. He recommended Wysong dog food,fresh
food,flaxseed
oil and cottage cheese and supplements to help boost his immune system. Then my
nonstop research started-re detoxifying Morgy's little body,finding natural
remedies
such as herbs etc. (Many of the links on found on the main page of
ThenSome's Pethealth Links

Biol Res Nurs. 2003 Jul;5(1):3-17.
Rethinking nutritional support for persons with cancer cachexia.
McCarthy DO.
National Institute of Nursing Research, 31 Center Drive, Room 5B-13, Bethesda, MD 20892-2178, USA. mccarthd@mail.nih.gov
Cancer cachexia is a poorly understood syndrome of anorexia, weight loss, and muscle wasting that negatively impacts quality of life and survival in cancer patients. Research has clearly implicated pro-inflammatory cytokines in the biology of cancer cachexia. More recent research implicates products of arachidonic acid and suggests that cachexia may be a chronic inflammatory condition rather than a nutritional aberration. To date, nutritional support to slow weight loss has focused primarily on increasing calorie intake. Alternatively, many foods contain factors that can modulate the synthesis or activity of pro-inflammatory mediators, especially the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 from arachidonic acid. These factors and foods are sometimes called nutraceuticals, and research is needed to evaluate their efficacy in combating cancer cachexia.
1: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Aug 22;308(2):403-7.:
Chitosan inhibits prostaglandin E2 formation and cyclooxygenase-2 induction in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages.
Chou TC, Fu E, Shen EC.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan, ROC. tcchou@ms5.hinet.net
Chitosan, a deacetylated chitin, has been reported to accelerate the wound healing and exert anti-inflammatory effect but the possible mechanisms involved are still unclear. Enhanced production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and pro-inflammatory cytokines has been shown to contribute to immunosuppression and cytotoxicity during wound healing. In this study, we examined the effect of chitosan on cyclooxygenase pathway and cytokines production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our results first demonstrated that chitosans (MW=50,000, 150,000 or 300,000) significantly inhibit the overproduction of PGE2 as well as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and activity accompanied by attenuation of pro-inflammatory cytokines production such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta formation but increase of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, formation in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results suggest that the beneficial effect of chitosan on wound healing may be associated, at least partly, with the inhibition of PGE2 production by suppressing COX-2 induction and activity as well as attenuation of pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines ratio in activated macrophages.
To read more on cachexia research click here
I learned how flaxseed oil helps so many health conditions;coenzyme q 10
and IP -6 also so many possibilities. There are so many natural pain killers(
and
anti-inflammatories(yucca,licorice,etc) and remedies for nausea(ie
ginger,marshmellow,etc) and tummy problems and help for liver(milk
thistle,paratox,livervit,LiverCare etc) and heart aids(dandelion
root,hawthorne,etc)-I hope you visit the links to herbal remedies
and herbal research on the main site.The Basics of Detoxing
Your Liver
mentions even tumeric, artichokes,lecithin, "N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). NAC is a form of the amino acid cysteine converted to the important antioxidant and liver-supportive enzyme glutathione in the body. NAC has shown significant ability to enhance Phase II detoxification reactions in the liver.",etc.
" Piroxicam is a prescription drug.

piroxicam"Piroxicam is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication possessing analgesic and antipyretic properties in animals. The mode of
action is not fully established at this time, but may be through the ability of Feldene® to inhibit biosynthesis of prostaglandins, know
mediators of inflammation.
Most recently, piroxicam has anecdotally been shown to inhibit the growth of some cancers in dogs. These findings have stimulated
controlled studies to collect further scientific evidence regarding its efficacy"

Please click here to add your website for your beloved animal-sharing is
comforting and we might help others who share the same boat
huge monograph on cancer managementAntiangiogenic Therapy for Canine Cancers"Cancers in dogs depend on angiogenesis to survive and proliferate. Tumors create new blood vessels that supply them with oxygen and nutrients, allowing them to grow in size and spread throughout the body. Antiangiogenic therapy cuts off these new blood vessels, effectively starving tumors and preventing their growth. Cancers may be controlled with effective doses of antiangiogenic drugs"..Another area under study at the Angiogenesis Foundation is the role of diet in controlling canine cancer. Foundation researchers have been testing green tea and soy incorporated into dog food as a way of dietary cancer suppression. Both green tea and soy are food substances that contain natural angiogenesis inhibitors. This approach may complement drug therapies.
..The Foundation has also tested drugs that are already FDA-approved and available for angiogenesis inhibitory properties, and hopes to develop practical antiangiogenic treatments based on drug availability. One approach, known as the 'Navy Protocol' (OLCAT-007), uses COX-2 inhibitors along with inhibitors of blood vessel cell proliferation and invasion. The Navy protocol was named after a 2-year-old golden retriever who was the first canine cancer patient to be successfully treated with antiangiogenic therapy. So far, more than one dozen dogs have received the Navy protocol. The Foundation is working with the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and other leading institutions to study these protocols....The drug company Bayer has tested an antiangiogenic pill called Tanomastat (Bay 12,9566) in dogs with lymphoma.

suggestions for nutrition-a must read from gulfcoastvet
ie " 1. Substitute poultry, fish, eggs, and cheese for red meat.
2. Marinate meats with sweet marinades or sauces.
3. Serve meats chilled rather than hot.
4. Use extra seasonings, spices, and flavorings, but avoid flavorings
that are very sweet or very bitter. An elevated threshold for
taste may make food taste bland or boring.
5. Use lemon-flavored drinks to stimulate saliva and taste, but avoid
artificial lemon and use sweeteners sparingly. "-these tend to follow articles
written for human cancer-there is a lot more on this webpage

Squamous Cell
Carcinoma
"Prevention
The best method of prevention is to eliminate exposure to sunshine. The use of
sun block on the tip of the
nose and ears is helpful if your cat does not lick or rub it off. White haired
cats should be kept indoors,
and should be prevented from sunbathing for long periods of time in the window.
Even though windows
filter out ultraviolet radiation, they do not filter enough of the radiation in
the case of SCC."

Salivary gland neoplasia in the dog and cat: survival times and prognostic
factors.
Twenty-four dogs and 30 cats with histopathologically confirmed salivary gland neoplasia were
retrospectively reviewed in a multi-institutional study. The predominant presenting complaint for
animals with salivary gland neoplasia was that of a mass being noted by the owner; other
common complaints included halitosis, dysphagia, and exophthalmia. Siamese cats were
overrepresented, indicating a possible breed predisposition. The most common histopathological
type was simple adenocarcinoma. Cats had more advanced disease at diagnosis than did dogs,
and clinical staging was prognostic in dogs. The median survival times for dogs and cats were
550 days and 516 days, respectively.

Electrochemotherapy: potentiation of local antitumour effectiveness of
cisplatin in dogs and cats.". Electrochemotherapy with cisplatin had a good antitumour effect on all tumours treated.
Their average size 4 weeks after treatment was also greatly reduced (0.01 cm3) compared to
those treated by intratumoural cisplatin injection alone (3.0 cm3). Altogether,
electrochemotherapy- treated tumours responded with 84% objective responses, whereas only
one tumourpartially responded to cisplatin treatment alone. Evaluated by contingency table, the
response to treatment with electrochemotherapy was significantly better than that of the cisplatin
treated group (p=0.014). Furthermore, there was a significant prolongation of the duration of
response in electrochemotherapy treated tumours (p = 0.046). The response to treatment was assessed on
tumour nodules in 3 cats with mammary adenocarcinoma and fibrosarcoma, and in 7 dogs with
mammary adenocarcinoma, cutaneous mast cell tumour, hemangioma, hemangiosarcoma,
adenocarcinoma glandulae paranalis and neurofibroma."This study showed that
electrochemotherapy with cisplatin is an effective, safe and simple local treatment of different
histological types of cutaneous and subcutaneous tumours in cats and dogs.

malignancies in cats
" Cats with tumors >
cm im diameter
have a median survival of 6 months, whereas cats with tumors
< 2 in diameter have a median survival of approximately 4 years.
The role of chemotherapy from MGT is unknown in cats, but because of the
aggressive nature of feline MGT, it may prove to
be beneficial."

probably next best discussion(who knows if it is biased)re melatonin and breast
cancer
appears to come from Thorne's research
notice says nontoxic in humans at high doses..there apppears no FDA
documentation re requirements-also notice re anti oxidant and possible IBD
". Anticancer. Studies show that Melatonin deficiency may be a cause of breast
and
prostate cancer or at least a guard against it. Melatonin prevents breast
cancer cell
division in estrogen-dependent and non-estrogen dependent cancers. In fact, one
study showed that the reason meditation is beneficial in cancer therapy is that
it
boosts Melatonin production. Another study showed that Melatonin amplifies the
immune effects of Interleukin-2 and protects against chemotherapy toxicity and
radiation. 30 days of 10 mg per night Melatonin in solid tumor patients boosted
their
levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by 28%, gamma interferon by 51% and
Interleukin-2 by 41%, a radical increase. In fact, the prescription drug,
Neupogen™, given to cancer and AIDS patients to stimulate their immune systems
works by stimulating Melatonin secretion but it costs thousands of dollars.
Melatonin
rhythmicity (nightly secretion) is suppressed in cancer patients. Melatonin also
counteracts the atrophy of the thymus gland, the master immune system gland"

university of Penn.August 2001-mammary tumors
an overview-third most common cancer in cats-almost 90 percent tumors are
malignant-most effective treatment to date-"surgical incisive"-if benign-still
helpful measure for prevention-" It is unclear whether spaying a cat early in
life
diminishes the risk for development of mammary cancer later
on." Spaying at the time of mammary tumor resection has no
measurable effect on
the rate of tumor reoccurrence."

canine mammary tumors u of penn
"Breeds at risk for developing mammary gland tumors
include toy and miniature Poodles, Spaniels, and German
Shepherds." The
average age of dogs at diagnosis is 10-11 years. "Studies
have shown that spaying a dog before her first, second, or third heat
cycle can significantly decrease the risk for developing
mammary gland tumors
later in life.
"Half of all mammary
gland tumors are benign and can be treated successfully with
surgery alone.

Hi Toni,
I'd love to hear what you come up with on your Internet search.
Here is a
quote from CJ Puotinen's "The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care,
"In his book "How to Fight Cancer and Win," William L. Fischer
describes the
importance of saurkraut and other lactic acid fermented foods as a
support
therapy in human cancer prevention and treatment. Those are fresh,
raw,
unpasteurized natural pickels, made without vinegar and with a
minimum of
salt, which are, Fischer explained, an excellent bowel tonic; they
improve
digestion, which in cancer patients is often compromised by a lack
of
hydrochloric acid and enzymes, and are themselves rich in easily
assimilated
nutrients. Lactic acid maintains beneficial intestinal flora while
helping
to eliminate harmful bacteria. According to German physician and
scientist
Johannes Kuhl, M.D., Ph.D., lactic acid foods are "hostile" to
cancer. "No
other full-value diet will do the job [of reducing cancer cases],"
he
wrote."
It sounds like this process may more closely replicate the
"pre-digested"
plant material in a prey's stomach and intestines than cooked
veggies, as
you mentioned. However, I disagree that wolves and or dogs'
ancestors didn't
eat raw plant materials albeit, I believe, in small amounts. No
one seems to
agree how much raw plant material they ate but they ate some as do
many
modern day dogs if the owner allows it. Juliette de Bairacli Levy
writes in
"The Complete Herbal Handbook For the Dog and Cat," "The dog is no
true
vegetable eater, taking only what it gets from the contents of the
intestines of the prey which it kills, and in very limited
amounts, direct
from various grasses, berries and mosses, which it seeks out for
itself.
Many dogs have completely lost their instinct for the seeking-out
of herbs;
only for that admirable, intestinal cleansing herb, couch grass
(Agropyrum
repens) , do dogs seem to retain their herb eating instinct..."
(p.32) She
does emphasize that dogs seek herbs more for medicinal purposes
than for
nutritional ones.
Maybe we don't really differ on this point, I just think they do
eat some
raw plant material although a very small ratio compared to meat
consumption.
I do agree that dogs' ancestors probably didn't eat much raw
cabbage or
turnip unless these agriculturally-raised veggies have wild
counterparts
somewhere in the world where dogs' ancestors lived. Hmmm.... I'm
beginning
to think I overfeed veggies....I give my two 10 lb. dogs about 3
Tbs. each
per day. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. This is
another
issue I've been pondering along with the digestion issue....

There was a recent news release for a large research study on rotties-there
were statistical findings that early neutering-increased the risk of bone
cancer.

-this came off the 20/20
site..hope they don't mind my putting it on this page
..hopefully they
love animals as much as we do.. 20/20
Sept. 8 Ross Wilkins and Stephen Withrow are doctors working
together in
the fight against bone cancer.
But their collaboration does not happen in the same hospital or
research
center they can't meet on the job because they work on different
species.
Still, their unusual partnership has led them to become leaders
not only in
helping their patients survive bone cancer with chemotherapy, but
in
preserving limbs that almost certainly would have been amputated
in the past.
Wilkins, an orthopedic surgeon, practices at a state-of-the-art
human care
facility, the Institute for Limb Preservation at St. Luke's
Presbyterian
Hospital in Denver. Withrow, a veterinarian specializing in
treating cancer
in animals, practices 70 miles north of Denver in the world's
largest
veterinary cancer center at Colorado State University. Wilkins
began to tap
into Withrow's knowledge of animal treatment for a very good
reason: bone
cancer occurs in large dogs 10 times more frequently than it does
in humans.
Pioneering Techniques
Withrow helped pioneer a technique that makes bone grafts a
surgery in
which a cadaver bone is transplanted into the affected area more
effective
by using surgical cement to fill and strengthen the bone before
it's
transplanted. Antibiotics are added as well to fight potential
infections.
Wilkins remembers when they discussed such a procedure over pizzas.
"If you think about a bone, it's a hollow tube. We felt that if we
could
fill that tube with something that's hard and strong, you could put
antibiotics in. That would protect the graft from infection," he
says. "We
sort of started doing this in animals, and we started doing it in
humans."
Withrow performed state-of-the-art surgery on Dakota, a black
Labrador,
to try to avoid amputation of his front leg. A day later, Dakota
was out on
the lawn, retrieving a ball. (ABCNEWS.com)
Another technique developed for dogs by Withrow, with help from the
National Cancer Institute, involves the use of sponges.
Biodegradable
sponges are soaked with chemotherapy agents designed to kill any
remaining
cancer cells. "There's no vomiting. There's no hair loss. There's
none of
the common side-effects of chemo," Withrow says.
Chemotherapy is what saves a patient's life and Withrow's dogs
have helped
teach many lessons on how it can be used effectively. Surgical
care is what
saves limbs and through the testing of bone cement, antibiotics
and ways
to help the bone graft heal faster, the veterinary center has also
made a
contribution to human care in reducing complications.
There's a lot of brainstorming left to do. But Wilkins and Withrow
say they
will continue to communicate with each other once a week in their
ongoing
collaboration.
Bone Cancer Treatment Resources
If you're looking for information on bone cancer treatments for
humans,
please contact:
Dr. Ross Wilkins
Institute for Limb Preservation
St. Luke's Presbyterian Hospital
1601 East 19th Avenue Suite 3300
Denver, Colo. 80218
1-800-262-5462
www.limbpres.com/index.html
If you're looking for information on bone cancer treatments for
animals,
please contact:
Dr. Stephen Withrow
Colorado State University
Animal Cancer Center
300 West Drake Road
Fort Collins, Colo. 80523
1-877-427-8838
www.cancercure.colostate.edu